Prologue

I can remember when I was a kid, a student still stuck within the walls of the academy, and still ignorant of the world at large. Still too innocent to understand just what it was that I was signing up for and unknowing what I would become. I can remember the teacher's lecturing, informing us about the events that shaped what our history today. Like most kids I was more interested in hearing the old war stories.

We could hear it in the voices of our instructors and just about anyone else that talked about the battles: admiration. When they spoke of war, it was not to tell us of what grand strategies came into play. No, it was to tell us of the heroes that led to our victory and the villains that caused our failure. The facts of war was always delivered swiftly and factually to a point that it was almost a side note. To us children at the time, those deaths didn't matter. What mattered was what we wanted; to be the heroes.

I can almost laugh thinking back to those days. Wishing that I could participate in the amazing battles that our sensei spoke of. I remember reenacting some of them in the forest and pretending to be some genius general that would lead his fellow shinobi to victory. Not once did I imagine losing the people that I care about. Not once did I think of having to watch as the light left the eyes of those I would kill. And not once did I imagine that it would all come down to this.

"Prepare to die traitor!"

I don't know who actually said it and I didn't really care. I had heard that phrase so often over the last couple of days. The one speaking would always be different, but they would have two things in common. The first being that they all wore green flak jackets that held a red spiral on its back. The second, they didn't live much longer.

I don't even remember moving, but in less than a second the three men that had lunged at me now lay dead at my feet. I held back the bile in my throat and tears in my eyes. I pitied these people. I pitied all of them. For nearly a week these people fought and died believing that in doing so they would secure the safety of their people. Of their families. Not even realizing that the reason they died now was because of the foolishness of one old man that couldn't admit his wrongs. That couldn't realize things would not go his way and that maybe he was wrong.

No, instead the world had to suffer just so he can prove his point.

"Tell me Jiraiya," I said, though I doubted anyone one could hear over the fighting., "Is this the world you envisioned? Is this why you sacrificed my parents, my family, and my home! TO CREATE THIS!?"

Could anyone blame me for my anger? I now stood in what used to be the amazing forest that surrounded Konoha. I could still feel the wind as I ran through the trees with all the exuberance that was natural for a child. I could still feel the joy that came with seeing the village from the highest branches and watching as civilians and shinobi alike went about their day in peace.

Now, there was none of that. The beautiful forest I played in had been reduced to a barren wasteland of ash and blood. The incredible buildings that I once leapt from and hid in after one of my pranks had been reduced to rubble. And the people that I had once sworn to protect were either far from here or dead by my own hand.

"I SAID TELL ME!" I roared.

As if in answer, two flashes of light appeared before me and the fighting that once surrounded him began to cease. I could not fault my allies nor my enemies for stopping. After all, for the first time in this week long battle the leaders, no, the aces of their armies would finally face each other.

"So, you two finally decided to show up?" I asked calmly even if I was anything but, "Were you tired of hiding or did you just finish sucking Ero-sennin's dick?"

The figure on the right was a young woman with hair shined a vibrant red. She was beautiful with a full figure that most women would be jealous of. That didn't mean he underestimated her, he knew that behind her feminine charm was a warrior that would not hesitate to kill him. I coughed to hide a chuckle when a blush appeared on her otherwise stoic face. She never could handle such crude talk even when we were children.

"As if we would hide from you!" the figure to the left sneered.

I almost let out a sigh of disappointment. The figure was a young man obviously of similar age to the girl and even myself. He even had the same red hair and overall looks, though far more masculine. Anyone who looked at them would know that they were related and could see they had a close bond. A bond that was almost painful for me to see.

The girl stepped forward. Her steps were hesitant, but I felt no deception and no desire for harm.

"Please," she said, pleaded "Let's end this. Things can still go back to the way they were. WE can go back."

Go back. If only it were that simple. For while she stood in front of me and extended her hand for peace there was one who did not agree. I stared into eyes of her brother even though I didn't need to. I could sense his desire to kill me, the desire have me beneath his boot. It was he and his master that wanted this battle and I had responded.

"Please," she begged with tears in her eyes, "Give yourself up and your crimes can be forgiven."

I hated to see her cry, but it appeared that once more she must shed tears for my actions.

"I'm sorry Mito," I said wiping the tears from her face, "To be forgiven means that I must repent. Yet, despite what you and others believe, I have no crimes to repent for."

My heart broke to see her eyes widen in horror. To watch as she stepped back into his arms for comfort.

"You see Mito," the boy spoke with venom, "This beast can't be reasoned with."

"I had to try Arashi," she said.

"The only way this is going to end," he spoke.

"Is when he dies," she said.

Mito, you said that you wanted us to go back to before. The problem is that going back won't fix anything. Because nothing has changed.

"Will you really stand by him Mito?" I couldn't help but ask, "Even after all he has done."

The image of her lying there broken flashed through my mind.

"Of course I will," she said heatedly, "He's my brother."

I couldn't hold back the tears this time, "I see."

Yes, nothing had changed Mito. It was me against the two of you, just like when we were kids.

I clapped my hands together as if in prayer, "Door to the Moonlit World: Open!"

I was blinded by silver light and prayed that it wouldn't end. Because I knew that when the curtain fell, the final act would begin and I wasn't sure that I could handle that.

My name is Naruto Uzumaki and this is the story of how I became "The Beast of the Whirling Tides."